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Boosting confidence through beauty

Running a business of enhancing people’s beauty is also about boosting their confidence and making them feel good about themselves.

This is according to Beauty Sandt, who is the founder of Bontleful Beauty Spa in Kathu in the Northern Cape. The business specialises in nails and beauty therapy.

Sandt became an entrepreneur by default after undertaking a nail technician course as a hobby while studying towards her diploma in Chemical Engineering at Motheo TVET College in Bloemfontein.

“I never thought I would end up running a business like this one because doing nails was just a hobby for me. However, after completing my studies I went back home and I saw a business opportunity in the beauty industry, so I started small and my business has grown over the years,” she said.

Sandt said she started by opening a nails and hair salon at her parents’ home in 2014. She registered her business two years later and applied for funding and received a R50 000 grant from the National Youth Development Agency.

“I bought a wendy house and equipment to enhance my business. I hired two more ladies to assist me because my clientele was starting to grow,” she said.

Due to the response she was getting from locals, Sandt decided to expand the services offered by her business.

“Two ladies and a guy from our community approached me with a business investment opportunity which would allow me to take the business to a local shopping mall where we could attract more clients. We agreed on joining forces and now Bontleful Beauty Spa offers a variety of services including full body massages, manicures and pedicures and hair treatments, among others,” she said.

Her business has created permanent jobs for seven professional beauty therapists with two stylists still working at the wendy house where her business started.

She said what she loves most about her business is seeing her clients leave her beauty spa feeling refreshed and ready to face the world.

“Many people in rural towns do not think running a business of beauty therapy is a real job and they undermine the impact it has on human life. I see it as important as any job because if you do not feel good about your image it affects your confidence and how you carry yourself,” she said.